Harry Riddle and the Master
by thewoman1988
Summary: Harry was adopted by Voldemort and became his son. Now Harry is about to attend his first year at Hogwarts under Severus Snape as the Headmaster. But Voldemort isn't the only Dark Lord. Another has arisen and wants power of his own. Meet the Master.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything Harry Potter related. They are all owned by J.K. Rowling. I just like to take them out to play.

Prologue

The Dark Lord pulled his hood a little lower over his face. It wasn't so much that he wanted anonymity; in fact, his whole life had been rather geared toward the opposite - power and fame beyond his wildest dreams. He'd never been the type to hide in the background. No, he did this to protect himself from his numerous enemies. It wasn't time to face them just yet. Then again, he was about to make a rather large scene. Still, it was all about timing.

He glanced up and down the dark street and shivered, then cast a warming charm on himself. It was late October - in fact, Halloween night for the Muggles - and it was bitter cold. Fitting for the death of his greatest obstacle.

He actually liked Halloween, though he viewed it more as a Muggle holiday than a wizarding one. But he enjoyed the idea of moving in disguise. After all, his Death Eaters all wore masks. Anonymity was key in his world - at least until all of his plans came to fruition.

He smirked to himself as he approached the front door of the Potter's. His enemies would be scattered tonight. He had dozens of operatives in place to attack the right people; and he himself had the greatest task of all - to destroy the one person who could stand in his way. Though it rather amazed him that a child, an infant, could be his downfall.

The house before him was large and elegant. The Potter's had certainly done well for themselves. Not that it would help them in the slightest. Though he would pass their money on to one of his people - perhaps Lucius? He chuckled softly to himself as he thought that it would be more fitting to give it all to Severus. After all, Lily was "the one who got away".

He waved his wand and removed the laughably feeble wards the Potter's had placed on their home. _Really, how stupid were they?_ They knew he was out there and hunting for all of the Order, yet they protected themselves so pathetically?

Voldemort blasted his way through the front door and was immediately attacked by a hex. He deflected it easily and turned to face James Potter. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of the red-haired Lily racing up the stairs, presumably to her infant. Good, at least he knew where the little brat was located.

James attacked with spell after spell, yet Voldemort merely blocked each one. He didn't even bother with a real curse of his own, limiting himself to ones he knew would be rather easily defended. He smiled broadly. He was having too much fun playing with his prey.

"Oh James, the things I will do to your wife and son." He blocked another curse as James dove into the kitchen. "I can keep your lovely Lily alive for weeks as she begs for death."

He had no intention of keeping the woman alive beyond tonight, of course, but James didn't know that. And while Riddle enjoyed physically torturing others, he preferred there to be a point behind that. No, his real joy came from the mental torture that came from perfectly chosen words to play on the weaknesses and fears of those opposed to him.

The deflected hexes exploded the couch and pounded holes in the walls, ceiling and floor.

Voldemort heard James swear loudly at his words and as the Dark Lord entered the kitchen he was surprised to have to dodge the killing curse. "An Unforgiveable from one of Albus' finest? I'm shocked, James!" Riddle shouted as he picked himself up off the floor and brushed himself off.

He laughed coldly and shouted, "Crucio!"

James fell to the ground, writhing in pain. "While I admire your bravery, little Gryffindor, I'm afraid that it won't stop me from killing you." Voldemort took James' wand, which had fallen from his hand as he twitched in pain, and snapped the stick in half.

He lifted the curse and knelt down beside James as the man breathed heavily and he fought back tears. "You are strong, James Potter, so I will give you one chance at life. Give me your son and I will let you join my Death Eaters. You will receive power, fame and fortune beyond your wildest dreams. What say you?"

James spat in his face. "I will never join you! And you leave my wife and son alone!"

Riddle quickly stood. "You are a fool, James. And I will still take your son."

Though he was rather impressed with the Gryffindor, he was bored now. "Avada Kedavra!" he shouted and watched the light leave James' eyes.

Voldemort stared down at his dead opponent dispassionately and then kicked him to the side of the room and out of his way. He walked down the hallway and to the stairs, taking his time. He wanted Lily to be trembling in fear when he found her.

Before he ascended the stairs he cast a spell and began a slow fire to consume the downstairs. By the time he was done with Lily and the boy, the entire first floor would be ablaze.

When he reached the second floor he found several doors and he blasted each one open, destroying the interior of each, until finally only one remained. He left a trail of fire behind him, though he was careful to keep in under control. It wouldn't do to burn himself with their home.

He smirked to himself as he approached the final door. His time of power had nearly come. Only Lily stood in his way and then he could kill the boy and be done with it.

He reached the last door and blasted it open to find Lily standing in front of her son's crib. Her wand was pointed at him and she immediately hit him with a hex, which made him duck back into the hallway.

"Lily, my dear," he called from the darkness as the fire began to blaze through the hallway, "give me your son and you need not die. Severus would be glad of your company. In fact, I promised you to him."

He entered the room, this time ready for the waiting hex. He dodged it and disarmed her. He snapped her wand and threw it at her feet. Yet even without a weapon, she stared at him with fight and fury in her eyes. He admired her for it and he could understand what Severus saw in her.

"I would rather die than live for you," she hissed in disgust. He noted that she didn't mention Severus, only him.

He smirked and motioned to the fire behind him. "Well, I would play with you as I did your husband, but I am quickly running out of time. So goodbye my dear." And he killed her with a quick curse. The light left her eyes and she hit the ground, revealing her son.

The black-haired, green-eyed boy was standing in his crib and watching the entire scene play out before him.

He watched Lily fall and his eyes welled with tears. Voldemort raised his wand, ready to kill the child, when the boy suddenly looked at him. Harry reached out his pudgy arms towards Riddle, indicating that he wanted to be picked up.

The Dark Lord gazed at the infant in surprise. He wasn't afraid. Why wasn't the boy afraid?

With the fire raging behind him, and he was beginning to feel the heat from it, Voldemort stared at the boy and wondered if killing him was the right thing to do. Not right as in right and wrong; he didn't believe in such things. There was only power and those strong enough to take it. No, he wondered if it was the right decision for him. Would killing the child really destroy the prophecy? Or could Voldemort use the boy instead?

Harry Potter would die, Voldemort knew it. The prophecy had stated it and one couldn't run from the future. But did he need to die today? The child was strong and he came from a strong line, despite Lily's Mudblood background. Riddle kicked Lily away from the crib and picked up Harry. "Well boy, I suppose you have changed my plans. You are mine now. You will forget your parents and remember only me."

He cast a memory charm on the child, removing all traces of the parents he once knew. Then he Apparated as the fire began to spread into the nursery. His work was done.

He appeared just outside of the Death Eater headquarters and strolled inside, easily removing the wards he'd placed on the building to protect himself and his followers.

The headquarters were empty because all of his people were obeying his orders. Severus, Bellatrix and Lucius were all at the Ministry, where the majority of his people were, to take out the Minister. Voldemort would replace him.

Riddle put the boy in a crib that had once belonged to another wizard and cast protective charms over him. He would have to be left alone for the evening. If he was still alive when Voldemort returned, he would be worthy of adoption.

Then Voldemort joined his followers at the Ministry and just in time. Dumbledore and the Order were fighting back in droves. Yet Voldemort had a few tricks up his sleeve.

Giants and werewolves came flooding out at his command and soon the Order had to fall back. Dumbledore and Voldemort did not fight this time - but one day they would meet again and the Dark Lord was certain he would destroy his greatest foe.

Once the Ministry was secured by his Death Eaters, Voldemort ordered the task of cleanup while he entered his new office.

A few hours passed when Severus and Lucius finally entered the room. "Report," Voldemort commanded.

Severus began, "The former Minister is dead. All the bodies have been destroyed. The damage has been repaired. We merely await your assignment to new positions."

Lucius added, "The Order members who survived the attack have gone missing. That includes Dumbledore and Sirius Black. Do you wish for us to search for them?"

Voldemort waved his hand dismissively. "No, they are scattered and powerful for now. And Dumbledore is too smart to be found. We'll deal with him when he returns. I'm certain they will strike again in time. Until then, we need to build our power."

He then handed them a parchment with the list of new positions and which Death Eater would get which position. He gave them a few new orders and then dismissed Lucius. Once the door had closed behind him, he met Severus' dark gaze.

"Lily and James Potter are dead," he informed the man coldly.

Severus didn't flinch, which Voldemort gave him credit for. He had always been a strong man and very guarded. It was why Voldemort had allowed him to get into his inner circle.

"And the boy?" Severus replied though his tone was flat, not curious.

The Dark Lord tilted his head slightly to the side, his dark eyes narrowing. "Is still alive and at headquarters. Or I left him alive; whether he still is or not is beyond my knowledge."

Severus couldn't hide his emotion this time - his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Pardon, my lord, but why would you let the boy live?"

Voldemort sneered and returned to writing on his parchment. "When I wish to be questioned, Severus, I will let you know. For now, your assignment is to take the boy and place him in a secure home - a home the three of us will share. You will help me raise the boy, especially as you will be the Headmaster of Hogwarts so you might as well get used to children. And I certainly don't have time to raise him. Now go."

Severus gave a brief nod and turned to leave. "Oh, and Severus, find the child a nurse or something. You don't know much about children either."

"Yes, my lord," Severus replied and left the room. Though his expression was masked, inside he was reeling. _Why had Voldemort not killed Harry Potter as he'd planned? And why did Lily have to die?_

But Severus knew now was not the time nor the place to grieve. He needed to complete his mission first. Then, when he was truly alone, he would allow his heart to die inside of him - to die just as she had.

He returned to headquarters and after a quick search found the boy in a warded room. He lowered the wards and entered.

Harry Potter was fast asleep in an old-fashioned crib that Severus recognized with a jolt as his own. They were using his family home as a temporary headquarters, as they never stayed in one place for too long - until now, of course. Now they had all of the Ministry and even Hogwarts.

Severus slowly approached the crib and gazed down at the sleeping toddler. His hand itched at his side and twitched toward his wand. It would be so easy to kill the child right now. He would have to face the Dark Lord's wrath, but he felt it would be worth it. The whole point of the Potter's death was to kill the child. Now Lily had died for nothing. Besides, Harry was James' son. The child Severus _should_ have had with Lily himself.

He pulled his wand out and pointed it down at the boy. If Voldemort had been too weak to do it, Severus would do it himself!

Harry's eyes opened and Severus felt his breath leave him, as though he'd been punched in the stomach. Lily's eyes. The child had Lily's eyes.

Severus slid to the ground and sobbed uncontrollably at the foot of the crib. Oh Merlin, his precious and beautiful Lily was gone. Forever gone. He hadn't protected her. In fact, he'd been the cause of her destruction. It was all his fault.

He felt his heart break inside him. He felt so much pain. More pain then he'd ever felt in his life - even more than the Cruciatus curse could ever inflict. Lily, _his_ Lily, was gone.

His sobs finally faded and he heard a cooing sound above him. He glanced up and saw Harry leaning over the crib, reaching for him. He sighed and stood back up, then took the boy in his arms. It was time to complete his mission. He needed to find a house for himself, the boy and the Dark Lord - though he wasn't sure how he felt about that living arrangement. And then he needed a nanny for the boy because he certainly wasn't going to raise him - especially now that he was going to be the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

He sighed and Disapparated to a home he had in mind, in the middle of nowhere. It was a very old English cottage with four bedrooms and made of stone. It was covered with vines and roses, something more out of a fairytale than the nightmare they really lived in. But they could worry about redecorating later.

Once he had placed Harry safely in one of the rooms, barricading the child inside, he began setting up as many protection spells and wards that he could. Then he left to find a nanny and marveled out how quickly his life had changed.

In fact, all of the wizarding world had just been changed drastically forever. Nothing would ever be the same.

A/N: Hey guys! I hope you guys like my new fanfic! I would really appreciate comments, but please keep all criticism to constructive. Thanks so much for reading!


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything Harry Potter related. They are all owned by J.K. Rowling. I just like to take them out to play.

Chapter One

Severus sat at the staff table and glanced around at his fellow faculty members. This was their ninth year together, ever since the old staff were either killed or disappeared with the Order. The first year that Voldemort had taken office the school had been closed because there was just too much going on.

And while the school was running smoothly, after a few years of hiccups that needed to be worked out, Severus still hated it. He had never liked children and, with the exception of Harry, the feeling was mutual. But his Dark Lord commanded and he had no choice but to obey.

"This year Harry Riddle will be joining us," Severus informed the others, though he was certain they all knew already. It had been very big news, the Dark Lord adopting a son - and not just any boy, but the one of prophecy. No one had been sure of what to think of the announcement; some even thought their new Minister had lost his mind. But of course no one dared speak that a loud, or they wouldn't be speaking for long.

There was murmuring around the table and Severus allowed it for a few moments before raising his hand to silence them. "Not many know this, but the Dark Lord wiped the boy's memory when he was still an infant so that he would never remember his parents. And no one is to ever mention them to him. As far as he knows, he was left to die in the streets during the war and Lord Voldemort found him; and in his infinite wisdom he decided to take the boy in. No one is supposed to know who Harry's parents were before Tom Riddle. _And he shall never know_." He emphasized the last sentence as he gazed at each of his staff members in turn, a warning in his voice. They knew the consequences of going against any order of the Minister.

They discussed a few changes in the curriculum. Then Severus stood. "Before I dismiss you all, there is one final, rather large change to Hogwarts this year. The Dark Lord and I have discussed this thoroughly and we have agreed to get rid of the Sorting Hat. It is ridiculous to force the students into Houses that they may not wish to be in. It is far better to let them choose their own. In fact, our Minister in all his wisdom has said that he believes we all make our own destinies.

"So this year we will simply ask the first years which House they'd like to be in. Should one House receive no members, and it continues for several years, we will close down that House when the last of its members has graduated. But I severely doubt that will be the outcome." He glanced around the table. The staff looked curious but not as though they were going to argue so he added, "Right then. You are all dismissed."

He strolled out of the room, his black cloak billowing behind him. Though his expression remained masked at all times, his thoughts were anything but emotionless. He wasn't sure how he felt about Harry coming to Hogwarts. He'd avoided the boy as much as he could as the child grew up - as did Voldemort, for that matter. They'd shown him the Dark Arts and spent enough time with him to make sure he'd become the child they wanted him to be - a child of darkness, rather than light. But neither man was interested or good with children. So Severus had hired a nanny - a half-blood witch named Victoria. She had actually attended Hogwarts at the same time as Severus and Lily and had been in Ravenclaw. She had been sworn to secrecy, of course, regarding Harry's true lineage. And she had done well in raising the boy. The Dark Lord had rewarded her handsomely for her efforts, as she had been let go a few days ago. Now that Harry was going to Hogwarts, there was no longer a need for her.

Severus closed the door to his office and sat behind the great desk that had once belonged to so many other Headmasters - including Albus Dumbledore. There was no painting of Albus in the room; Voldemort had been strict about that. All images of a magical person had a connection to their living counterparts, and Voldemort couldn't have a painting spying on him.

He leaned back in the chair and stared blankly at one of the paintings. He often wondered what his life would be like right now if Voldemort hadn't risen to power ten years ago. Would he even still be at Hogwarts? Merlin, he hoped not. He hated the place. But it was where Voldemort wanted him and one did not argue with the Dark Lord.

He was just about to begin going through applications for Professorial positions when he heard a tapping on his window. He rose and strode to open the great glass window.

A pure black owl flew into the room and landed on the desk, then presented its leg for inspection.

Severus removed the letter and gave the owl a treat he kept in a glass bowl before the great bird flew from the room once more. Clearly it had not been instructed to await a response.

He recognized the Minister's seal, the Slytherin crest, as the Dark Lord was the heir of Slytherin. He broke it and read:

_Severus,_

_It has come to my attention that several witches and wizards in the surrounding area of Hogsmeade have begun to disappear. I am sending Lucius to you; together you will discover the reason behind the vanishing of my people. Whatever or whoever is doing it, deal with it swiftly and quietly._

_TR_

To his intimates, Voldemort still used his given name. It was a sign of how much he trusted his inner circle.

Severus sighed and ran a hand through his recently cut black hair. He wondered why he hadn't known of the disappearances until now. Well, this was going to make for an interesting year.

* * *

Harry and Draco sat in the garden of Riddle Manor - the home Harry had grown up in the past ten years. The house was an old stone cottage, built in the 1800's, and had never been wired for electricity, which was good for a wizarding family as electronics never worked well with magic.

Originally the home had looked much like something out of a fairy-tale with vines and roses climbing up the walls; a beautiful, traditional English garden complete with marble statues of fairies and elves and such fantastical things that one would expect from Alice in Wonderland, perhaps.

Once Severus moved in with Lord Voldemort, Harry and Victoria, however, the place was quickly redecorated. The interior became darker and more masculine, all except Victoria's room, which she had been allowed to do with as she pleased. The exterior was cleaned up - all flowers removed and magical vines planted that would both protect and defend the house from any who tried to attack it; as if the dozens of magical wards were not enough.

The garden was destroyed and replaced by two separate areas: one was a magical garden filled with all manner of wizarding herbs and plants that could be useful to Severus in particular, as a Potions Master. This was where Harry and Draco were allowed to spend their time.

The second area was a giant hedge maze that filled the rest of the property. Inside the maze were hexes, curses and all manner of dark creatures. Once one went in, one did not come out. There was no exit. The Labyrinthe de Terreur, as Victoria - who was French - had named it, was meant only for the enemies of the Dark Lord. Harry had never even been tempted to venture inside; the screams of anguish that issued forth periodically cured him of any curiosity.

Draco plucked an Angel's Trumpet flower and began to pull the petals off one by one. "I can't wait to get to Hogwarts. It's got to be better than being stuck at home all day, every day."

Harry nodded absent-mindedly as he twirled his newly purchased wand in his fingers. He couldn't use it until he reached Hogwarts, but he couldn't seem to let go of it anyway.

His mind was far away on thoughts of his future. Not many eleven-year-olds bothered to think of their future, but Harry seemed unable to think of anything else. The few times he did see Severus, the man always talked about who Harry could become. It seemed the future was very important to his godfather.

Harry stood and began to pace slowly through the garden. Draco was used to his friend's queer ways and remained seated, though he watched him curiously.

Harry hadn't had a normal childhood, if there was such a thing. His father was one of the darkest and most powerful wizards in known history, and he rarely saw the man. When Harry had learned to talk, he had been shown many dark spells by his father. It had terrified his toddler mind at first, but eventually he grew used to seeing people being tortured, dismembered and far worse things. It seemed the only time he saw his father was to be "taught a lesson". Not that any dark arts were ever used on Harry himself. He was just meant to watch and learn.

The second largest influence in his life was his godfather, Severus. As Headmaster of Hogwarts, he rarely saw him either. When he did, the man usually spoke of Harry's future and taught him things such as potion-making. Harry actually enjoyed making potions. Some of them could be done without magic, so he could do them before attending Hogwarts, which he enjoyed. It gave him more of a connection to his magical life.

Neither man showed any affection toward Harry. Like any child, Harry had craved love. He had learned quickly not to expect it from Voldemort or Severus; but thankfully for Harry, he had Victoria.

Victoria was a half-blood woman, once in Ravenclaw, the same age as Severus. She was demanding and tough on Harry, but he never once doubted her love for him. She was more like a mother than a nanny to him. And she was really his greatest influence, because he was with her every day.

She taught him Muggle schooling, such as History, Science, Maths, English and the like. Severus and Voldemort didn't care, so long as he didn't develop an affinity for Muggles. But Victoria refused to let Harry be an "ignorant Wizard" as she called them; mostly purebloods who believed they only needed to learn magic and nothing about the Muggle world.

Victoria always told Harry that that kind of thinking was the peak of idiocy. After all, the Muggles outnumbered the magic folk at least ten to one, if not more. It was really the Muggle's world and the more wizards knew about them, the better. "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer," she always said.

Harry tugged on his black robes. It was funny that many of the students who'd be attending Hogwarts had grown up more immersed in the Muggle world; even resorting to wearing Muggle clothing in their daily lives. But Harry had been kept from...well...everyone honestly. The only friend he'd ever had was Draco. And Draco was only approved of because his father, Lucius, was the Head Auror and part of the Dark Lord's inner circle.

"Are you going to pace all day or can we get some food?" Draco asked casually as he examined his own wand. Their house-elves had gone out shopping earlier that day to buy all their supplies; the wands, however, were a different story. Ollivander had been brought to Riddle Manor with a supply of wands and Harry and Draco chose their own.

Harry turned away from the fountain that spewed what looked a lot like blood - though Harry had never tested it to find out - and smiled at Draco. "Yeah, of course. Let's get food."

The two boys ran into the house, neither seeing the dark figure that watched them from beyond the borders of their land. The figure waited until sure they would not reemerge and then vanished into thin air.

* * *

Hermione and Ron sat in Dumbledore's office at the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. Hermione's hands were folded in her lap as she gazed inquisitively at their leader, while Ron was fidgeting in his chair.

Dumbledore looked at them both kindly over the top of his half-moon glasses. "Now, you both know why I called you here, I'm sure. Tomorrow you will leave for Hogwarts on your seven-year mission. Ron, what is your mission?"

Ron looked up, startled at being addressed. He flushed and his skin turned almost as red as his hair. "I..uh..what was the question sir?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and her hand shot up and waved frantically. Dumbledore chuckled and nodded at her. She sat up nice and tall and replied, "Our mission is to befriend Harry Riddle, no matter what. We are to join whichever House he does..."

"As if there's a doubt he'll join anything but Slytherin," Ron muttered.

Hermione continued as if he hadn't just interrupted, "...and we are to make sure he wants to be our friend, even if that means pretending to be people we are not. We will not, however, do any dark arts except that which is required in the classroom, because it is our job to bring him to the 'light side'."

Ron snorted. "Like that's going to happen."

Dumbledore looked at him intently and he blushed and stared down at his hands. But he was too stubborn to apologize because he believed he was right.

"Mr. Weasley, I know it seems impossible to convert Harry to our side. His father and godfather are such dark and evil men, and have had too much influence on his growing years; but his nanny was not an evil woman and so he is not beyond hope. Also, he won't be influenced by them nearly as much at Hogwarts. He will, instead, be guided by his peers - which includes the two of you. No one is beyond hope, Mr. Weasley. Even Tom Riddle himself."

Ron looked at him in disbelief but Hermione raised her hand again. "Sir? I don't mean to question you, sir, but are you certain that my papers won't be detected as a forgery?" She couldn't keep the tremble of fear from her voice.

One of the first laws that Voldemort had implemented was the removal of all Muggleborns from the wizarding world. He believed they tainted the magical blood and were a disgrace. So the Muggleborns within Britain were rounded up and killed - no matter what age. Many escaped with the help of the Order, but hundreds more did not.

No Muggleborn could attend Hogwarts either, and Hermione was Muggleborn. But thankfully for her and others of her bloodline, Dumbledore and a few others that worked for him were very good at forgery magic.

To attend Hogwarts or get a job in the wizarding world, one must have documents to prove that one had at least a single magical parent. So Dumbledore forged such documents for Muggleborns so that they could live in the wizarding world - especially as spies for the Order.

Hermione was one such person. Dumbledore had forged papers identifying her as a half-blood from Ireland, which was harder to trace. For years she had been taught how to speak with an Irish accent and a false past and identity, as she could never speak of her Muggle parents. Though he kept her first name, her surname was changed.

Dumbledore smiled at her kindly. "I am quite certain that my magic will stand the test. You will be safe, my dear."

She grinned back at him. He was a very kind and powerful wizard, and she was proud that he had chosen her for one of the biggest and most important missions he had - bringing Harry Potter home again.

Ron sighed and quirked a half smile. "Well, I guess with this mission school won't be boring at least."

Hermione looked horrified by the thought that school could ever be considered boring.

Dumbledore laughed as he dismissed them, though the hilarity ceased once the door closed. He gazed at it for quite some time and wondered if he was doing quite the right thing. He was endangering both children quite badly; for if their deception was discovered, they would be tortured and killed and it was unlikely he could save them.

Though he did have one ace up his sleeve and he smiled to himself as he thought of her. She would come in handy, he was certain, before the year was up.

* * *

A/N: Thank you all who are following my story! Please do leave me some comments as I would quite like to know what you are thinking. If they are critiques, please make them helpful. Second chapter should be out in a few days!


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything Harry Potter related. They are all owned by J.K. Rowling. I just like to take them out to play.

Chapter Two

Platform 9 and 3/4 was crowded with people: students saying goodbye to their families and greeting their friends excitedly. Harry moved among them quietly, unnoticed, as he observed carefully the interactions of his peers.

Draco would be meeting him on the train, but Harry wanted to use the last few hours of anonymity to his advantage.

He smirked to himself as he ran a hand through his unruly black hair. No one knew what he looked like. They all knew the name Harry Riddle, of course, but Voldemort had been careful to never allow photos to be taken of him. In fact, Harry hadn't really met anyone except a handful of Death Eaters that had come to Riddle Manor and Draco.

He had rarely been let out of his home for ten years. And though Harry partly resented it, he also had known nothing else; it was just his way of life. And honestly, Draco's life wasn't that much different, except that his mum threw parties every once in a while for some of the Ministry officials and their wives.

He boarded the train and glanced into the different cars as he strolled past until he caught sight of the familiar blonde locks of his best friend. He shoved the door open and walked inside. "Draco," he greeted with a nod.

Draco nodded back. "Harry. I'm guessing neither guardian saw you off?"

Harry laughed mirthlessly. "The Dark Lord and our Headmaster? Hardly! Far too busy for the likes of me."

He couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice. Unlike his godfather, he was not very good at hiding his emotions, nor did he really try.

Draco glanced at his friend cautiously. Harry had quite a temper on him and it wasn't hard to set him off. Although all under-age wizards had the trace on them so they couldn't perform magic without getting in trouble, they could still release magic when their emotions were high; and Harry had done so any time he grew angry, so Draco learned to walk on eggshells around him.

"And Victoria wasn't there?" Draco asked hesitantly though he guessed the answer. After all, Victoria had been let go a few days previously. He knew Harry had taken it extremely badly - like someone had sent his mum away, which is basically what had happened.

Harry's eyes narrowed and Draco felt his heart speed up in fear. Had he just set his friend off? Merlin, he hoped not. "No...no she wasn't there. I'll probably never see her again." His voice was cold and hard.

Draco felt sorry for him. He loved his own mum very much, though he tried very hard never to show it because his father would see it as a sign of weakness. He couldn't imagine having his mum just sent away from him.

"I...I'm sorry Harry," he replied hesitantly. But before either boy could say another word a bushy-haired girl stepped into their car.

"Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one," she informed them with a haughty tone.

Harry smirked and pulled out his wand, twirling lightly in his fingers. He knew that even the Hogwarts Express didn't allow magic, but he wanted to see if the girl was easy to threaten. "No, no toads here, except for you."

Draco laughed and sneered at the girl.

But the girl seemed unmoved. She folded her arms across her chest and stepped into the car. "I look nothing like a toad and we all know it. And you can't do magic here, you'll get in trouble."

Harry's eyes narrowed and he frowned at her. "And who exactly is going to punish me when my father is the Minister?"

The girl's eyes widened in surprise and she couldn't suppress a little gasp. "_You're_ Harry Riddle?"

Harry smirked again, pleased that she looked both impressed and frightened. "Precisely. So I'm not too worried about getting in trouble."

That wasn't quite true. Voldemort expected Harry to follow the laws that he had made and wouldn't hesitate to punish him should he break them. Though perhaps not as harshly as others, it would still be highly unpleasant. But Harry wasn't about to let the girl know that.

"I'm Hermione, by the way. Do you mind if I join you? I don't have a seat yet," Hermione asked hesitantly, her eyes darting between the two boys.

Harry shrugged. "Couldn't care less where you sit."

So Hermione made her way to sit beside Harry. "And you are?" she asked Draco once she had settled.

"Draco Malfoy," he replied haughtily. While his father might not be as impressive as Voldemort, he was still third highest in Britain.

Hermione pulled out one of their text books and opened it, then began reading. Harry and Draco exchanged amused glances.

"Reading already?" Harry asked with a smirk. "We don't even have homework yet!"

Hermione smiled at him and shrugged. "What can I say, I want to get a heads up on everyone."

Harry tilted his head and gazed at her curiously. "Why?"

Hermione straightened her spine and looked at him confidently. "Because unlike the two of you, I don't _have_ important parents. No one cares about me yet. So I need something to give me power and interest in the world. I'm going to be the smartest and best one here."

Again the two boys exchanged glances. Harry was rather impressed by the girl with slightly buck-teeth. "Not bad. A little nerdy, but whatever. What House you going to choose?" he asked with interest. He was thinking maybe Ravenclaw; it seemed to suit her nature. But thankfully for them they could pick their own House.

He couldn't understand why the Headmaster's of old forced kids into Houses; what was the point in that? Shouldn't it be up to them where they went and what path they chose for themselves?

"Slytherin I think," Hermione replied lightly as she turned a page.

Draco and Harry raised their eyebrows at one another. "Slytherin? Are you sure about that?" Draco asked in disbelief.

Hermione looked up at them and nodded. "Yes, quite sure. Oh I'm certain that all the Houses have their fine points, but Slytherin stands out most to me. And if you notice, everyone currently in power came from Slytherin._ I want power_." She looked at Harry intently for a few moments before returning her attention to her book.

Harry was even more impressed by her now. And he wasn't surprised that she would want to make his acquaintance either. He knew that many of the students would try to use him for his connections; in fact, he was rather looking forward to it.

All three first years fell silent, lost in their own thoughts and world, as the Hogwarts Express sped on to what would be the most important seven years of their lives. None of them realizing that there was far more danger there than they could possibly know.

The hooded figure moved silently through Hogsmeade, flitting from one shadow to the next as it moved toward its final destination - a house on the end of the cobbled street.

It unlocked the door with a whispered spell and stepped inside. The owners of the home were far too trusting - perhaps because they were so near to the famed school - but they hadn't placed any wards on their home. Dangerous for them, as it turned out, but fortuitous for the hooded man.

He walked so quietly it was as though he were hovering over the ground. He had learned the skill of such silence through his years spent in the Irish countryside hunting all manner of creatures, especially magical ones.

He first entered the children's room and cast a heavy sleeping charm on them. The man was cruel but he didn't hurt children. Then he left there and stopped in front of the parent's room.

He slipped inside and found them asleep in their bed. They were on opposite sides of the bed, both pulled as far from the other as possible._ They've been fighting, _he thought and then dismissed the knowledge. He didn't care.

"Sectumsempra!" he muttered and slashed his wand at the husband. There was a scream and the two adults woke instantly, the man thrashing about in pain as blood began to pour from the hundreds of cuts made on his body at once.

The woman wasted time trying to check on her husband rather than on her immediate surroundings and gave the hooded man time to immobilize her - freezing her so that she could not move but would watch in terror as he tortured her husband.

For hours he made the other man suffer as he begged and pleaded for mercy. Finally the hooded man stopped the pain and froze the man, this time to watch as he proceeded to torture his wife.

Another several hours passed as he made her scream and beg until he drew the last ounce of strength she had left in her. Only then did he let her die. And when she had, he killed the man as well.

Then he took each of their hands and Apparated with their dead bodies back to his home, where he proceeded to add them to his garden of horrors. He smiled as he gazed at his finished product and then turned to look up at Hogwarts, where he knew Severus Snape was sleeping. _Soon...very soon, _he thought and then went into his home for a much-needed rest.

Severus heard a knock on his door and sighed. "Enter," he commanded as he looked up from the papers on his desk.

Lucius Malfoy strolled into the room looking as arrogant and confident as ever. "Greeting Severus. The Dark Lord has sent me to investigate the disappearances in Hogsmeade. I believe you are to help me."

Severus rose and shook his friend's hand. "Yes, I shall as I have the time; but unfortunately you've come right at the beginning of the busiest season. It takes at least two months for all the students to settle down. Not only that but yesterday my Professor of Potions quit on me; he wouldn't even give me a reason why. So I had to search frantically through the names of applicants from the past year. Only one person stood out so I sent her an owl last night. I'm hoping she will arrive today as classes start tomorrow." He sounded stressed and incredibly unhappy.

Lucius gave him an understanding smile. "I know how much you hate this job. But you are loyal to the Minister and that is all that matters in the end. At least you are greatly rewarded."

Severus nodded his agreement. Voldemort paid him extremely well and the home they shared was far better than what most Headmaster's would have been able to afford. Not to mention the fame and power he held because of his position, both at Hogwarts and abroad.

Severus motioned toward the two armchairs in front of the fireplace. The two men sat opposite one another and Severus summoned a house-elf to bring them glasses of Firewhisky.

"Well," Severus began once they had their glasses in hand, "do you have any idea where to start looking?"

Lucius made a face. "I suppose at the house of the latest victims."

Severus tilted his head curiously. "Victims? How do you know they are victims if they are simply disappearing?"

Lucius smirked and tapped a long, pale finger against his glass. "Because of the amount of blood left behind. There's no doubt that someone is killing these people and then taking their bodies. The question is who and why. And as this person is killing wizards, we know the murderer must be a wizard as well. We certainly can't have that."

Severus agreed and finished his whisky before rising. "Well, I have quite a bit to do before the Sorting ceremony tonight. If you need anything, let me know. I've already prepared quarters for you."

Lucius rose as well and finished his drink before handing it off to a waiting house-elf. "Thank you, Severus. I will keep you informed." Then he left the room, heading for Hogsmeade.

Severus stared after him for a moment before returning to his desk and all the paperwork that needed going over before the students arrived. He hoped his newest Professor would arrive soon as well. He sighed and dropped his head into his hands. _Why, oh why, had Voldemort given him this assignment? _With a shrug of his shoulders he focused his mind and worked.

A/N: Thank you to everyone reading and following the story so far! Please, please leave some reviews/comments! Thank you!


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